The Vow Staff Review
Very few men will admit this, but we do have a romantic side. When it comes to cinema there are few films that men will lower themselves to watch because they are just too "girlie" for their tastes, unless there is an over abundance of fart jokes and nudity. However if a film is handled tastefully with well thought out characters most men will be able to see the beauty within the story.
That brings us to The Vow starring Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams, a film about two people who find one another and must do so again after tragedy strikes. Tatum plays Leo, a somewhat free-spirited young man living in Chicago. Through a series of flashbacks we learn how he meets Paige (McAdams) an art student with a unique way of looking at life. So far it sounds quite typical for a romance film.
Things change at the opening of the film when they are involved in a car accident and Paige winds up losing her memory. All she remembers is up to 5 years ago which was before she met Leo, was still engaged to her ex and still attending law school. To make matters worse Paige's overbearing parents intervene much to the chagrin of Leo.
Faced with so many obstacles Leo does his best to restore his wife's memory by showing her the wonderful life they had together. Now you may think that from here the film moves forward in a typical direction for Hollywood and you would be right. However, what isn't typical is how the dilemma is handled.
The next few scenes are spent showing how awkward it would be to now interact with someone who has no recollection of who you are or the life you shared together. Two great examples are the morning after Paige comes home from the hospital and Leo tries to walk her through her normal routine. The other is a few scenes later when Leo shows Paige her studio and attempts to reintroduce her to her work. Suffice it to say it doesn't go well.
McAdams has proven herself to be an accomplished actress and here is no different. How she deals with adjusting to a life she is unfamiliar with is fantastic, while Tatum, who some could argue has gotten by on his looks, actually pushes some emotional depth here. The supporting cast consists mainly of Paige's family and while they certainly do their job of moving the story along, their characters don't really do much more than that.
In the opening of the film Leo describes life as moments of impact that push us in new directions. Looking back on the entirety of the film now, it is easy to see those moments that drove these characters towards one another and its that kind of writing that makes for a solid movie.
For a pre-Valentine's Day film it does a good job of adding something new to the mix, so if you're a couple looking for a enjoyable romantic film to kick off the holiday, go and check out The Vow
--Chris Rebholz
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